Igbo group writes Buhari, seeks review of police promotions

Ohanaeze rejects exercise
The Conference of Igbo Professionals Worldwide (CIPW) has condemned the recent promotions by the Police Service Commission (PSC), saying the region was again, treated unfairly.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, it observed that like in previous recruitments, appointments, promotions and allocation of resources, the Southeast region was denied its rightful place in the recent PSC promotion exercise.

In the letter titled: “Unfair Treatment of Ndigbo and Urgent Need to Right the Wrongs by Mr. President, dated December 26, 2020 and made available to journalists yesterday in Abuja, the group noted that the Southeast was given only one of all senior police officers that were promoted, while some regions got over 12 slots.

In the letter, endorsed by its National President, Prof. Patrick Kalu and National Secretary, Dr. Uche Mbaka, the group appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to not only set up a panel to investigate the unfair treatment of Ndigbo in the country, but also review the promotions.

“We wish to draw your attention to the recent promotions in the Nigeria Police Force by the PSC chaired by former Inspector General of Police, Musiliu Smith (rtd.).

“Recall that the Police Service Commission on Friday, December 18, 2020, rose from its 10th plenary with the promotion of 37 senior police officers to their next ranks. Its action is commendable given that it would boost the morale of officers and men of the force to serve their fatherland diligently and meritoriously.

“However, we are constrained to point out that the exercise, which would have ordinarily been effected in line with the country’s policy of equity and fairness, was regrettably skewed towards some regions at the detriment of the Southeast,” the statement reads.

The group explained that of the total figure, the Northwest got 12, the Northeast was given eight slots, the Southwest got seven, while the South-South got five. The North Central region received four slots, while the Southeast got only one slot.

MEANWHILE, the Apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has rejected recent promotion exercise, saying it was a perpetuation of the marginalisation of the southeast zone in the scheme of things.

In a statement by its President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo, the group noted that the imbalance in the force exemplified in the fact that all police commissioners in the Southeast were from the North and not many Ibo officers are in the top hierarchy in the force should have made it imperative that more slots be given to the region.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is irked that the already depleted Southeast officers in the force was given only one slot and condemns and rejects this provocative act of marginalisation.

“Ohanaeze frowns on the propensity of ensuring that Igbo land is constantly under siege by having security heads from zones other than the Southeast in charge of security in the zone,” the statement added.